Rose caught the attention of the whole country when he appeared on "America's Got Talent" last week.

He performed a song he wrote, "Coal Keeps The Lights On".

In Tuesday night's episode, Rose was chosen to move on to the live shows where people will cast votes for who they think should win. ______________________________________________________UPDATED 7-14-13

PINEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT/WKYT) - The man behind the song that quickly becoming a hit in the mountains was honored Sunday. Hundreds of people crowded into downtown Pineville to show their support for Jimmy Rose.

His voice captivates audiences, and now his song has captivated the country.

“He's done more in 7 minutes than has taken place in the last 10 years, as far as our fight to bring attention to what's happening here as it applies to coal,” said Bell County Judge Executive Albey Brock.

The judges of "America's Got Talent" moved him on to the next round when he sung his original song "coal keeps the lights on."

Yet, when I talked with him on stage at his concert Saturday night, he said winning was not his first priority.

“It wouldn't have mattered to me if I got 4 Xs on national television, as long as I got to go on TV and represent this area with the song I wrote, and make everybody proud,” said Rose.

And that is exactly what he did.

Hundreds of people crowded downtown Pineville Sunday to make sure he knew how proud of him they are.

“It's beyond my belief that's he's got this much support in the area,” said Jimmy’s girlfriend, Heather Morgan.

Sunday was named Jimmy Rose appreciation day, but what Rose didn’t know was what city, county and state officials had in store.

Rose was made a honorary Pineville mayor, sworn in as the first Bell County Ambassador and given the honor of a Kentucky Colonel.

And he says from that same heart came his hit song.

“I’m a dreamer, man. I like to do small things, but I take big chances and if there's an opportunity I'll seize it and go after it,” said Rose.

A crew from "America's Got Talent" filmed portions of today's pep rally. The first round of the Las Vegas competition will air this Tuesday at 9p.m.______________________________________________________UPDATED 7/13/13

PINEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT/WKYT) - You may have seen him on the hit show America's Got Talent, but now he is back in his hometown to showcase that talent.

Pineville native Jimmy Rose played a free concert at the Bell County Fairgrounds Saturday night.

A crowd of family and friends came to support him.

County officials put on the show as a fundraiser for Rose.

The Pineville cheerleading team served drinks and hot dogs to everyone there.

“I mean he may almost be famous and he's a role model for all other kids, and their proud because they can say hey he's from our hometown he's from our county, said cheerleading coach, Tammy Jones.

Rose will play at a city pep rally tomorrow in downtown Pineville, and is asking everyone to be there.______________________________________________________UPDATE 7-12-13

Rose will perform a free concert at the Bell County Fairgrounds Saturday at 6:00 p.m.

On Sunday, the City of Pineville and local businesses are hosting an appreciation event for Rose. It starts at 3:00 p.m. in the Courthouse Square in downtown Pineville. City, county, and state officials will make presentations to him.

"In seven minutes, I think he accomplished more than any politician or lobbyist could for coal. We had to honor him as quickly as possible," said Jacob Roan, Main Street Pineville Director.

Other local musicians are also performing at the event on Sunday.

_____________________________________________________UPDATE 7-10-13

PINEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT/WKYT) - A song about coal was heard by a national audience Tuesday night.

Jimmy Rose of Bell County took his original tune called "Coal Keeps the Lights On" and auditioned for NBC's America's Got Talent.

WYMT's Angela Sparkman talked to his parents who are now preparing for the next round in Las Vegas!

"I'm the proudest mommy in the world!" said Virginia Middleton.

Larry and Virginia Middleton have listened to their son sing "Coal Keeps the Lights On" many times.

"I always told him to keep doing what he's doing because one day it's going to pay off in the long run," said Larry Middleton, father.

The veteran Marine and coal miner sang it on national television on America's Got Talent.

His parents were in the audience. "It was awesome! It really was and to hear the crowd hollering Vegas, Vegas, I was like, oh man, they really like him!" said Virginia Middleton.

The judges selected him to move on to the next round in Las Vegas.

"I'm very excited! I almost passed out when I found out he was going to Vegas!" said his mother.

"It's not all sunk in yet what's going on, all this music. I'm just so excited for him," said his father.

Rose's parents say he has written dozens of other songs, but chose to sing "Coal Keeps the Lights On" on national television to show support for Eastern Kentucky.

The song is getting a lot of local airplay too. One radio station in Bell County started playing Jimmy Rose's "Coal Keeps the Lights On" several months ago. People are now calling and requesting it because they love the song, and say they are proud he took it to the national stage.

Brian O'Brien of 106.3 FM WRIL announced to his audience, "Jimmy Rose hitting the stage on America's Got Talent. We want to support him and we do here at 106.3."

The song is now filling the airwaves in Eastern Kentucky.

"Jimmy approached the radio station earlier this year and said, would you mind playing this song? All of the sudden, everybody started enjoying it," said O'Brien.

Many in Bell County watched America's Got Talent when Jimmy Rose performed.

"When we saw him on the preview last night, everybody in town went crazy," said O'Brien.

Fans of Rose say they are happy he is not only moving on in the competition but also teaching the world about coal mining.

"So often we get bad news out of Eastern Kentucky, and it's so nice to see someone represent Bell County and the southeast with so many positive comments from so many people," said O'Brien.

Jimmy Rose is expected back in town on Friday and has performances scheduled all weekend. He will be at Angelos in Cumberland Gap on Friday night at 9:30, the Bell County Fairgrounds on Saturday night at 6:00, and downtown Pineville on Sunday at time to be announced.

______________________________________________________7-9-13

PINEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT/WKYT) - A Bell County man made an appearance on the NBC show "America's Got Talent" Tuesday night.

Pineville native Jimmy Rose, 32, impressed the judges at the audition in New Orleans and advanced to the next round in Las Vegas.

Rose is a former Marine and has two children.

"This is pretty much like his dream," Rose's girlfriend, Heather Morgan, told WYMT. "He just wants everybody to hear him representing coal and so it's just really big for him because this is like his dream."

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